Device for distributing water.



Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

' E. HETT.

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER.

(Application filed Nov. 28, 189 4. Renewed July 12, 1898.)

No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet w: NORRIS pc'rzns co. moraumou wAsnma'mu. n. c.

Patented Nov. 2|, I899;

E. HETT.

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER. (Ayplimtion filed Nov. 28, 1894. RenewedJuly 12, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

nu: ucmms PETERS co, W010 n'na. WASNINOTON. mm

Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

E. HETT.

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER.

(Application filed Nov. 28, 1894. Renewed JIxIy 12, 1898) 3 Sheets-Sheet3,

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFIC'E.

EDWARD HETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,565, dated November21, 1899.

Application filed November 28, 1894. Renewed $111,712, 1898. Serial No.685,765. (No model.)

T ctZZ whom it may concern.- 1

Be it known that I, EDWARD HETT, a citien of the United States, and aresident of New York, (New Dorp,) in the county of Richmond and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful Device for Distributing Wateror other Liquid Especially Adapted for Use as a Water-Roller inPrinting-Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecifi cation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part hereof.

My invention relates primarily to means for supplying and distributingwater to the printing or form cylinders of a printing-press for thepurpose of dampening the surfaces of such cylinders where such dampeningis required and especially in multicolor lithographic printing presses.It will be apparent that some of its features may be employed forsupplying and distributing other liquids than Water and in connectionwith other devices than the form-cylinders of printing-presses.

The object of my invention is to make it possible to regulate withaccuracy and certainty and with great ease and by a simple operation thequantity of liquid supplied and at the same time to secure a completeand uniform distribution of the liquid over the surface of thedistributing device, and thereby over the surface of the cylinder orother object to which the liquid is supplied.

Another object of my invention is to secure the utmost simplicity ofconstruction and method of operation. 7

Another object of my invention is to successfully dampen continuously aseries of curved lithographic-printing surfaces in a multicolorlithographic printing press that is continuously printing a plurality ofcolors upon the paper in approximately instantaneous succession.

My invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts herein setout and claimed.

The accompanying drawings represent the parts and indicate thecombinations of parts in a multicolor lithographic printing pressembodying my invention.

Figure 1 represents a side View of the waterfountain or source ofsupply, being a roller broken away at the middle,so as to show means forregulating the quantity of the water-supply, being the two perforatedtubes and the outer coverings, the perforations being shown in register.Fig. 2 represents a sectional view through the axis of the roller, theperforations of one tube being shown out of register with theperforations of the other. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view'throughthe axis of the roller, half the perforations of one tube being shown inregister with half the perforations of the other. Fig. 3 is a side viewof the outer tube with the coverings removed and in such position as toshow two lines of perforations. Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on theline 4 a of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the line 5 5 ofFig. 2. Fig. 6 is a sectional View of an illustrative portion of amulticolor lithographic printing press forming as to some of itsfeatures the subject of my application for a patent, Serial No. 518,015,filed on July 19, 1894, and renewed May 27, 1899, Serial No. 718,570,showing myiinproved regulatable water-fountaincombined therein andindicating the method of combination of a series of such water-supplydevices in a series of dampening mechanisms with a series oflithographicprinting surfaces and a series of inking mechanisms, allarranged about the periphery of a central impression-drum.

Referring to the drawings, a represents a tube which is provided withperforations b b, arranged in groups of two and distributed uniformlyover the entire body of the tube, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Theseperforations, aslshown, are arranged in lines running lengthwise of thetube and also in lines encircling the tube. In this way the points ofdischarge for the water are placed at uniform distances from one anotherand evenly and regularly distributed over the surface of the tube. Thedistance between the two perforations of each group is preferably madeequal to the diameter of each perforation. The number, size, andarrangement of these perforations can be greatly varied. I prefer tomake the perforations about one-sixteenth of an inch wide.

The tube ais securely attached to the heads (I and 0, preferably by ascrew-thread attachment such as shown. The headsd and c are providedwith journals, as shown, by which they can be mounted in the press. Thejournal of head at has an opening through its center for the admissionof water to the tube.

ICO

move thereon. This tube eis also perforated in the same manner as theinner tube and threaded neck f, extending from one end of the tube 6,and the ring g, which is provided with an internal screw-thread takingin the screw-thread of the neck f. The ring 9 is adapted to turn on thehead d,'butis prevented from moving lengthwise thereon by means of theannular projection or guide h on thehead d, which projects into theannular groove't' in the ring 9. When the ring 9 is turned in onedirection, it draws the tube e toward it.

When it is turned in the reverse direction, it forces the tube e in theopposite direction. The ringgin the form shown in thedrawings ismade 1ntwo parts, so that it can beput in place upon the head cl. When the tubee has been properly adj usted,itis held in place also by'the nut is,which is screwed against the end of the tube 6, thus holding the tubefirmly between the ring 9 and the nut is. The nut is takes in ascrew-thread on the head a. prevent the tube 6 from revolving or turningon the tube a, the tube e is provided with a longitudinal slot Z, intowhich a pin 1% projects from the tube a. The tubes aand care preferablymade of brass.

n is the usual covering of felt, and 0 the usual outside covering offlannel. These coverings are fastened to the outside tube by means ofannular slots or grooves 19 p in the tube 0, near its ends, into whichthe coverings are'pressed, and thereby fastened by means of the wire orstring q, as shown.

The operation of the specific water-supply device shown is as follows:When the full quantity of water which can be discharged through all theperforations is required, the outer tube is moved so as to bring itsperforations in register with those of the inner tube. If a smallerquantity of water is desired, the outer tube can be moved so as topartly shut 'oif each perforation, or by moving the outer tube adistance equal to twice the diameter of one of the perforations half theperforations in the outer tube will be in exact register with half theperforations in the inner tube, the

other perforations being entirely closed. 'Better results are secured inthe latterway and I prefer thatmode of operation, because'itisadvantageous to keep the size of the discharge-openings always the sameandto're i duce the quantity of water discharged b-yre ducing the numberof such discharge-openings. Where the construction is such that themovement of one tube upon the other operates to control the quantity ofwater discharged by increasing or decreasing the size of the separateperforations or openings, the results are not as reliableor ascontrollable. When a discharge-perforation is made too small, it maysuddenly cease altogether to discharge or maydischarge irregularly, andagain it may not, and if increased very slightly its discharge may bedisproportionately increased or it may not. Friction and capillaryattraction come into change and modify the flow or to stop it altogetherand this irregularly-that is to say, not always exactly or reliably inproportion to the size of the opening. Then, again, dirt and grit andsediment in the water may clog verysmall openings, and if so thisclogging will be very apt to be irregular. My invention permits themaintaining of the'size or diameter of the separate openings orperforations, while decreasing or increasing the effective number ofsuch perforations open to the flow of the water. In this way a reliablecontrol of the aggregate flow is obtained and maintained. Other methodsof arranging or grouping the perforations may be employed, so long as bymoving the second tube into diiferent positions upon the first adifferent number of perforations will be broughtinto register. In thisway the quan tity of water supplied by the water-roller can be easilyand accurately andnicely regulated. By distributing the perforationsuniformly over the entire surface of the roller the water is evenly anduniformlydistributed and each part .of the surface of the rollerreceives its proper share.

' In Fig. 6 the improved water-roller just described is shown incombination with a curved or cylindrical lithographic-printing surface,a group of intervening water-distributing rollers, and an inkingmechanism and indicates the combination of a series of groups of suchparts with a central impression-drum and about the periphery of suchdrum in a multicolor lithographic printing press such as I havedescribed and claimed as to other features in another application forLetters Patent, Serial No. 518,015, filed by me on July 19,

1894, and renewed May 27, 1899, Serial No.

718,570. In this figure, 11 is a central impression-drum. 42 is a curvedor cylindrical lithographic-printing surface, a series of which arearranged on the periphery of the impression-drum. 63 is theink-fountain, and 6a is a group of ink-distributing rollers,constituting an-ink mechanism for one of the printingsurfaces, a-seriesof such ink mechanisms being provided, onefor each printing-surface, andarranged,as shown,on the outer side of the printing-surface away fromthe impressiond-rum. 110 is the improved regulatablewatersupply'fountain, which is carried by the arms a or'links 108 and isadaptedto be swung into contact With the roller-112, so as to moistennthe same. The moisture is carried from the 'ing rollers.

roller 112 to the form-cylinder 42 by means of the intervening rollers113.

The dampening mechanisms, one for each lithographic-printing surface,are arranged, as shown, in the interspaces between adjacentprinting-surfaces and each includes a waterfountain and a group ofwater-distributing rollers and means for accurately regulating theminute quantity of water supplied from time to time by eachwater-fountain or source of water-su pply to its group ofwater-distribut- The invention in some of its aspects can be employedfor other purposes than to dampen the form-cylinders of aprinting-press. It is adapted for use in any place where it is necessaryto supply water or other liquid in minutely-regulated quantities to thesurface of a roller or other device.

The invention, in so far as it consists in the specific form ofwater-fountain shown, is simple and economical and can be easily appliedat any part of a machine or apparatus. No matter what position thewater-roller may be put in it will not spill, as other fountains are aptto do, and will not take up much room, both of which considerations areof great importance, especially in a multicolor-printing press. Thepresent method in practical use in lithographic work is an open bath orfountain into which a roller or a belt dips, but my improved form ofwater-fountain both keeps the water itself cleaner and the surroundingparts of the press cleaner and brings the wator-supply under morereliable control and is more convenient in every way and more compact.It is also especially important where zinc is the lithographic-printingsurface employed.

The invention, in so far as it consists of the combination of a seriesof printing and inking and dampening mechanisms with a central drum in amulticolor lithographic printing press, is irrespective of the specificform of the water-fountain, or of the means for accurately regulatingthe minute quantity of water supplied from time to time by eachwater-fountain to its group of water-distributing rollers.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Adevice for supplying water or other liquid in graduated quantities whichconsists of a common way or duct including a tube provided withperforations arranged in groups of two or more and having aninlet-opening, and a second tube correspondingly perforated with groupsof two or more perforations, and adapted to move on the first tube inthe direction of the line of perforations in each group, whereby thenumber of perforations which register in the two tubes may be varied andthe quantity of liquid supplied may be thereby graduated, substantiallyas set forth.

2. A water-roller for a printing-press,which consists of a tube providedwith heads and journals to adapt it to be mounted in the press, andsuitably perforated so as to discharge and distribute the water, aninletopening through one of the journals, a second tube also perforatedand adapted to move on the first, a ring arranged to turn on one of theheads of the inner tube without moving longitudinally thereon andengaging with one end of the outer tube by a screw-thread 'connection,and a screw-threaded nut adapted to be screwed against the other end ofthe outer tube, whereby the perforations of the outer tube may bebrought partly or wholly in or out of register with the perforations ofthe inner tube, and such perforations thereby opened or closed, and thetubes locked in such position, substantially as set forth.

3. Awater-rollerforaprinting-press,which consists of a tube providedwith heads and journals to adapt it to be mounted in the press, andsuitably perforated so as to discharge and distribute the water, aninletopening through one of the journals, a second tube also perforatedand adapted to move on the first, a ring arranged to turn on one of theheads of the inner tube without moving longitudinally thereon, andengaging with one end of the outer tube by a screw-thread connection, ascrew-threaded nut adapted to be screwed against the otherend of theouter tube and a pin-and-slot connection between the two tubes,substantially as set forth.

4. A dampening device for a printing-press, which consists of a commonwater way or duct including a tube provided with heads and journals toadapt it to be mounted in the press, and provided with smallperforations arranged in groups of two or more to discharge anddistribute the water, and having an inlet-opening through one of thejournals, and a second tube correspondingly perforated with groups oftwo or more small perforations and means for movingthe second tube onthe first, the perforations of the two tubes being so arranged that bymoving the second tube into diiferent positions upon the first, adifferent number of perforations will be brought into register andthereby opened,whereby the quantity of liquid supplied maybe graduated,substantially as set forth.

5. A water-roller fora printing-press, which consists of a tube providedwith heads and journals and adapted to be mounted in the press andprovided with perforations arranged in groups of two or more so as todischarge and distribute the liquid, an inletopening through one of thejournals, a second tube correspondingly perforated with groups ofperforations and adapted to move on the first tube in the direction ofthe line of perforations in each group, a ring arranged to turn on oneof the heads of the inner tube and engaging with one end of the outertube bya screw-thread connection, a screw-threaded nut adapted to bescrewed against the other end of the outer tube, and a pin-and-slot contI l 635,565

' first tube in the direction of the line of perforations in each group,a ring arranged to turn on one of the heads of the inner tube andengaging with one end of the outer tube by a screw thread connection, ascrew threaded nut'adapted to be screwed against the other end of theouter tube, a pin-and-slot connection between the two tubes forcontrolling the direction of motion of the second tube on the first, asuitable covering on the outer tube,

slots at the ends of the outer tube and means for pressing said coveringinto the slots and thus fastening the covering to the tube,substantially' as setforth.

7 7. In combination with the printing-surface of a lithographic-printingpress, and the inking mechanism, a dampening devicerwhich consists of acommon water duct or way including a tube provided with suitable headsand suitably mounted in the press, and pro vided with small perforationsto discharge and distribute the water, and having an inletopening insaid tube, and a second tube suit ably provided with small perforationsand means for moving the second tube on the first, the perforations ofthe two tubes being so arranged that by moving the second tube intodifierent positions upon the first, a different number of perforationswill be brought into register and thereby opened, whereby the 7 quantityof water supplied may be regulated,

substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD HETT.

Witnesses:

O. ASHER MAYER, EDWARD K. STURTEVANT.

